Influence of recollection and plausibility on age-related deficits in associative memory

Crystal M. Cooper, Timothy N. Odegard

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

3 Scopus citations

Abstract

Age-related declines in associative memory are proposed to result from deficits in older adults' ability to recollect the past. The present experiment investigated the ability of older adults to compensate for deficits in recollecting the past by using plausibility. Participants studied a list of word pairs that shared category or rhyme relations. To measure the processes used during the recognition memory test, participants provided self-reported explanations for their memory judgements. Older adults relied primarily on plausibility, and the younger adults relied on both plausibility and recollection. Older adults experienced both positive and negative consequences as a result of using a knowledge-based strategy to compensate for their decreased ability to recollect the past. Specifically, they were just as capable as younger adults at recognising previously studied items and correctly rejecting distractors that were inconsistent with the rule provided at study. However, they falsely recognised distractors that were consistent with that rule more often than younger adults.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)28-36
Number of pages9
JournalMemory
Volume20
Issue number1
DOIs
StatePublished - Jan 2012

Keywords

  • Ageing
  • Memory

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Arts and Humanities (miscellaneous)
  • General Psychology

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